My name is Joanna S. and I graduated NHI with honors on July 16th, 2003.
Before I became a massage therapist I was mother of three working in the Accounting field going from one stressful environment to the next. I was working 60 hours a week and I was barely seeing my kids. I at one point forgot what my son wanted for his birthday. I was washed out and stressed and fastly becoming hated by my family. I had been to college three times and never finished anything. I was on a dead end street going nowhere. Then when I because pregnant with my third child I was bedridden for three months due to preterm labor. I was unable to work and was left thinking about what my future would hold for me. I was also spending alot of time with my children and began to see how important it was that they hav me there with them. Especially my oldest son who has ADHD. I was fighting with the concept of having to put him on drugs to be able to control his behavior due to this.
After having the baby I was forced to return to work in accounting. At that time I hurt myself on the job and had to go out on Disability. At that point it was like a sign from god that I was going to have to find another career. About three days later I saw the telivision commercial for NHI and decided to try it out. I went for a meeting with Laura to see if it was the place for me. After being there with her for 30 minutes I decided to try it out. She was extremely helpful and compassionate with me. I was abl eot get financial aid and start one month later.
I was very nervous when I started because i had never really liked school and had never finished anything before. When I began to get into the program I started to feel more and more like I belonged. All the teachers and staff are VERY helpful and caring, especially my mentor. Leisha Anders. All the teachers began to make me feel as though I was special and smart. I am very greatful for all the teachers there at NHI and all the staff. I went on to become a student tutor and a great resource to the other students both in my group and out.
I felt as though I was on top of the world when I graduated NHI with honors and I had actually completed something in my life that would give me great success both at home and in my career.
NHI gave me all the tools I would need to be completely successful in whatever venue I decided to take massage.
Now I am running my own clinic in Oakland and I am helping UCSF with a study on how to benifit kids holistically with ADHD/ADD. I also work with over 50 doctors and chiropractors to help injured workers and people with insurances. I couldnt have done any of this on my own and I owe it all to the loving and caring staff of NHI. Thank you all and I hope everyone else out there can find the peace and joy that I have found in this field.
Joanna Smith
Certified Massage Therapist
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